Otto's Shrunken Head celebrates 20 years on 14th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

On Saturday, Otto's Shrunken Head celebrated 20 years in business here at 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the tiki-themed venue and met up with owners Nell Mellon, who was sporting a variety of Otto's anniversary shirts...

... and Steve Pang and Patricia Lou ...

... and a few of the guests enjoying some free food and swag...

You can follow the Otto's Instagram account (or visit the website) to keep tabs on the live events here, including an array of bands playing anything from lounge/exotica to rockabilly, punk and surf.

Otto's Shrunken Head celebrates 20 years today

Congrats to Otto's Shrunken Head on the 20th anniversary... and they'll be celebrating today at the bar/venue, 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Info below (and the above illustration is by Kevin Kobasic)...

 

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About the Mermaid and Mai Tai Market at Otto's Shrunken Head

Otto's Shrunken Head is hosting a Mermaid and Mai Tai Market today from 5-10 p.m. featuring a variety of vendors selling vintage clothes, art, records, etc.

The rock-n-roll tiki joint is at 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... 

Happy No. 18 to Otto's Shrunken Head

Otto's Shrunken Head, the offbeat tiki bar at 538 E. 14th St., celebrates its 18th anniversary this weekend. 

To celebrate, Otto's has debuted a new T-shirt for sale. 

The bar is open today and tomorrow from 4-11 p.m. here between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Photo via Instagram

The Weird! revolution continues tomorrow night at Otto's Shrunken Head

The next monthly edition of Get Weird!, the rock-and-roll party at Otto's Shrunken Head, is tomorrow (Saturday night).

The free show includes the garage-psych of the Abyssmals and the surf-roxotica the Black Widows.

Otto's is at at 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Otto's Shrunken Head celebrating 15 years this weekend

Happy anniversary. Bands starting at 8 tomorrow (Saturday!) night. Otto's Shrunken Head is at 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

They put on a lot of events (book readings, film screenings, bands, open mic, etc.) Check out their calendar here.

Tomorrow night at Otto's: 'Escape from (New) New York'

Via the EVG inbox…

ALPHA WOMEN attack the East Village on the first Wednesday of each month.

Hosted by Our Lady of Perpetual PMS and CJ BadVato

Spending Summertime in the City like a good working-class Punk? Us too! And our ALPHA WOMEN satirical sense of humor will get you though these gritty city days with a party for the rest of us!

Featuring:

9 pm: Val Kinzler of the Val Kinzler Band. Hilarious and inspired rock anthems you'll be quoting for days: "Keep your baby on a leash and let my doggggg run wild!"

9:30 pm: Thundera — Infectious, all-girl punk trio. Like their influences (The Runaways, Joan Jett, Bikini Kill, Patti Smith, etc.), their sound is raw, powerful and infused with vitality.

10 pm: Baby Machine: Olga & LeAnne summon you into their make believe world of power pop & stellar song writing with just a bass, guitar, & otherworldly vocals! See also: Escape Artist, LeAnne's solo work.

10:30 pm: Four Eyes NYC: 3/4 members are serious alpha/witchy women, on a mission to bring you punk rock and good times galore!

In the front: classic punk, 90's, grrrl power anthems and queercore played proudly all night … bar-wide dance party welcomed!

Suggested dress: Your festive, Anarchic or Anachronistic best.

Shop: art & band merch @ our Lil Vendor Corner. Artwork by special guest artist HAUSRIOT

Find it all at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. No cover.

And here are more details via the Facebook event page.

This man reportedly stole a bass guitar from Otto's

Surveillance video at Otto's Shrunken Head on East 14th Street has ID'd the dude in the above photo as the person who apparently took a bass guitar belonging to multi-instrumentalist Claude Coleman Jr.

Coleman, who played drums for Ween, was performing with his band Amandla on June 21 when the instrument was stolen.

Here's more about it from a June 30 post on Facebook:

We're looking for this man — he's been identified as the thief who stole my instrument on June 21 ... after everyone cleared out of the stage area. I was in the front of the bar with a friend, and the guy walked right behind me. He also nicked our drummer's practice pad, and is seen walking away with it.

This gig bag isn't mine — however the venue assures me they've watched the video again and again and this is the man who handles the instrument and walks away with it. I guess he switched bags perhaps. If this bloke with the man-boobs looks recognizable to anyone, please contact me. Again, no charges will be filed, I just want the return of the instrument.

Read more about this today at the Daily News.

"The sentimental value is priceless," Coleman said of the bass.

Till Death Do Us Rock

Today in Tompkins Square Park, Frank Wood marries Johnny Eggz and Christa McNamee. Johnny's band is the Mighty Pragmatics. Wedding party and post-concert tonight at Otto's on East 14th Street ... with bands playing all night...

Photo and details via Steven Hirsch.

Alpha Women Attack Otto's tonight

From the EVG inbox... info on the latest Alpha Women Attack the East Village party...

LEO PARTY at the new monthly Wednesday party hosted by Our Lady of Perpetual PMS (a Leo Lady) & D.J. Feo

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 E. 14th St. (btwn A & B)
NO COVER
(Donations collected for performers)

8/7 Theme: We Are Leo, Hear Us Roar! A Leonine Party that ROARS, brings home the bacon, & parties on top of the patriarchy!

classic punk, 90's grrrl anthems. Iconic ladies & their comrades, keeping it punk, weird, badass:
X, Bags, Blondie, Babes in Toyland, L7, Veruca Salt, Le Tigre, Lydia Lunch, etc. & Local NYC legends

9:30 pm: SKUM CITY: (NYC's best H/C Punk band decrying the demise of NYC & putting what's left loud, gritty, & in your face!)
10 pm: JESSICA DELFINO (The Lower East Side's own Queen of the Obscene! The return of our resident muse.)
10:30 pm: ANGEL EYEDEALISM (Legendary E. Village avant garde performance artist, classically gifted singer & theremin player)
11 pm: Avant Entertainment Hour with LeAnne & Olga's guitar & bass originals, street poetry & Spoken word by PMS & Feo, & more subversive performers!!

Copies of the brand new Shadow, NYC's only underground newspaper, published peroidically since 1988, will be available for $1.

Plus more treats TBA, we promise!

Suggested dress: Your tributes to the Lioness, Feline, & Cat Lady best. Leopard print, fiery flash, royal reds & blacks. Embrace the Leo Power! Leos welcomed & worshipped.

Find the Facebook event page here.

A little 'Soul' returns to the East Village tonight

From the EV Grieve inbox... from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. at Otto's...

Come join us for the launch of our Monthly Mod/Soul Dance Party. Let's bring some Soul back to the East Village! So tailor your mohair, and get your 2 stroke smokin', we'll be spinning all the grooves that will make you move!

Spinning nothing but the best of 60s Soul/Motown/Mod/Beat/Grooves/FrenchPop/Yé-Yé

Courtesy of DJ HeavySoul, who told us that many people have been for something like this since the end of Subway Soul at Rififi on East 11th Street.

Otto's Shrunken Head celebrates 10th anniversary tonight

At 538 E. 14th St. near Avenue B...

The back room at Otto's Shrunken Head reopens tonight

As you know, a fire severely damaged Otto's Shrunken Head on 14th Street on Oct. 24. While the front room reopened on Oct. 30 ... the back room needed a lot more attention. Otto's regular DJ Xerox passes along the good news that the back room reopens tonight with the Rebel Night Rockabilly dance party, and then the first bands take the stage tomorrow night.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Assessing the damage at Otto's Shrunken Head

Breaking: Early-morning fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

Good news from Otto's Shrunken Head

Co-owner Nell Mellon dropped us a note last night with an update on the progress at Otto's Shrunken Head, the 14th Street mainstay that suffered a fire early on Oct. 24...

"Last week we worked really long days/nights to get the front open on Saturday (Oct 30). Lots of support and hard work from staff and regulars helped tremendously! We are back to normal operating hours in the front. And we are hustling in the back. We hope to have the backroom ready for the weekend November 19th. Keep your fingers crossed!"

Previously on EV Grieve:
Assessing the damage at Otto's Shrunken Head

Breaking: Early-morning fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

Inside Otto's Shrunken Head after the fire

As you know, an early-morning fire broke out at Otto's Shrunken Head on Sunday... Everyone I've talked with has said the same thing: It could have been a lot worse...

Still, it's pretty bad... Thanks to DJ Xerox, who plays at Otto's and lives in the same building on 14th Street, for passing along these photos of the damage. Co-owner Nell Mellon told me Sunday night via e-mail that the showroom was the hardest hit in the bar.












There is good news to report: If all goes as expected, the front room at Otto's will reopen tomorrow night. (Check their Twitter feed to make sure they are open.) No timetable just yet for the back room.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Assessing the damage at Otto's Shrunken Head

Breaking: Early-morning fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

A New Yorker of the week

While reporting on the fire at Otto's Shrunken Head on Sunday morning, one witness said that "an alert super" made sure that all the tenants in the apartments above the bar on 14th Street were informed of the blaze.

Per a building resident:

it was not an 'alert super.' in fact our super didn't show up for hours despite numerous police calls. it was in fact a random passerby with a shopping cart who buzzed each unit 3-4 times, woke us all up, and alerted us that 'your building is on fire. get out of the building now!' when thanking him later his response was 'any new yorker would have done the same.' not sure i agree. I am still trying to find out who he is. I believe in credit where it's due.

Otto's to reopen by the weekend

After yesterday morning's fire, we asked the good people at Otto's Shrunken Head for a report on the bar's status... here's the word from co-owner Nell Mellon:

"We are still waiting on final reports from the Fire marshalls. Thankfully no one was hurt and the damage is confined to the backroom. We hope to have the front open in a few days. Definitely for the weekend. The backroom is another story. That will take much more time."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Assessing the damage at Otto's Shrunken Head

Breaking: Early-morning fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

Assessing the damage at Otto's Shrunken Head

According to a reader, the damage at Otto's from this morning's fire isn't as bad as first feared. Still, the back room is a mess... Everyone seems to be saying the same thing: It could have been a lot worse.



Also, according to the reader, the residents who live in the building above Otto's were allowed back inside their homes just after 11 a.m....




Only a few police officers and fire personnel remain on the scene. 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B has been reopened to traffic.

Previously.

Breaking: Early-morning fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

An employee arriving to work this morning just after 9 at Otto's Shrunken Head on 14th Street was met with thick black smoke coming from inside the bar.



According to witnesses, the employee grabbed a fire extinguisher and set about battling the source of the smoke himself. Firefighters quickly arrived on the scene and had things under control. No official word just yet on what started the fire. There were also no reports of injuries.





An alert super helped make sure residents who lived above the bar got out of the building. The residents also had the time to secure their pets.

More photos from this morning's fire at Otto's Shrunken Head

An EV Grieve reader passed along these photos taken right when firefighters arrived on the scene at Otto's Shrunken Head on 14th Street...








Previously.